Rarified Air

Walking slowly and staying hydrated (Candace)

Annapurna Circuit: Day 4

Chame to Upper Pisang

Distance: 16 Kilometers

Elevation climbed: 700 meters

Ending altitude: 3,400 meters above sea level

Calories burned: 1,450

I couldn’t sleep last night. I tossed and turned all night. Perhaps it was the discomfort of our sleeping bags (I feel like I’m wrapped up in a plastic condom at night), but either way, I woke up in a “mood.”

We set off today for Upper Pisang, an older village with homes made of stone in a dryer arid region of the Himalayas. Kumar told us to take our time today, to walk slowly, because we are now slowly losing oxygen, and we need to take care to avoid elevation sickness from here on out.

Today was a relatively easy day. While we climbed just as much as yesterday, it was spread out over the day, so we weren’t as bothered by the incline. And we reached our tea house early today, by 1:15 or so.

We did need a day of sunlight because nearly all of our clothes are wet now (Andrew had to walk in his waterproof pants today because all of his shorts are wet), and they don’t seem to dry after 5pm, so we welcomed the early day.

And we reached our first wide, flat valley today. Such a strange sight to see after such steep cliffs the past three days. It gave Andrew a chance to try out as a porter, carrying the group’s heavy packs on his forehead.

I arrived cranky and with a headache today, but can’t tell if that is due to the elevation, dehydration, or lack of sleep. We shall see!